Five Guys Famous Burgers and Fries
1527 Chestnut St.
(215) 972-1375
www.fiveguys.com
Laminated copies of glowing "best burger" reviews decorate the checkered red-and-white walls of the new Center City Five Guys Burgers and Fries. It's a bold, cocky move, as if to announce the presence of a new David amongst the Goliaths of the fast food industry. With 87 locations already open, and 1,000 new ones in the works, Five Guys is an emerging force in the hamburger marketplace.
The best gimmick Five Guys has to offer is the choice of fifteen free toppings. From the usual lettuce and tomato fair, to the more exotic sauteed onions and jalapeno peppers, there's surely a combination that'll satisfy even the most obscure of tastes.
However, don't be fooled by the abundance of veggies and sauces. Five Guys isn't compensating for anything. The hamburger meat is fresh, juicy and hand formed - so don't be surprised if it breaks apart upon consumption. Go right ahead, and pick up that small nugget of beef that's fallen back on your wrapper, and pop it into mouth. And this burger tastes just as good without all the fixins, which is something you can't say about that McDonald's Quarter Pounder. In addition to the meat, the buns are seeded, soft and moist, while the fries are in the delicious boardwalk vain, cut with the skin still intact and fried in peanut oil.
The menu is limited, consisting solely of burgers, hotdogs, and grilled cheese, but the prices are fair (double cheeseburger for $4.79 and fries for $1.99) and what they do, they do right. So, if you're looking to boost that cholesterol in style, skip the usual places and head over to Five Guys -- maybe you'll see this glowing review on the walls with the others.
